As we draw into the final week before the moed of Pesach/Chag HaMatzot we should give heed to the instruction found in the Torah:

Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses; for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel.

-Exodus 12:15

As always, the physical commandment provides us with a picture of the spiritual truth.  Both should be obeyed.  We should clean the leaven from our homes both physically and spiritually.

I haven't posted in a while due to a new addition to the family.  A little over a week ago someone dropped off a baby on our doorstep and we decided to  adopt.  Here's a picture of the little one:

A neighbor found the cat on the side of a major thoroughfare behind our subdivision and brought it to us since we are "cat people"... as she put it.

Five weeks ago I took the Reading TAKS test.  This is a test you need to pass in Texas to be promoted to the next grade. I took the reading test 5 weeks ago and I got my results two weeks ago. The test had 48 questions that were challenging.  I earned a score that was noted as "exemplary".

Before I took the test I thought that I would pass it because of my grades in class but I wasn't sure.The verse that I think of when I have to do something that I might not be able to do is Phillipians 4:13 which says " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Some time ago I was trying to explain to my children how our deeds have greater value after we are redeemed than before we are redeemed.

The analogy of a coupon came to mind:

The inherent value of the coupon is only 1/100 of a cent. You would have to gather up 100 coupons to get a single penny! That is like our deeds before we are redeemed:

...And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment...

- Isaiah 64:6

Front time to time I receive messages from a dear brother in Messiah, Kevin Smithson.  He travels extensively with his bride, Heather, and shares amazing stories of faith.  Here is his latest:

I have desired to get information out to you all about some awesome things GOD is doing and our many travels since getting back to TX.  However, I have not made the time to get it done.  When I saw this I definitely wanted to get this great story to you.   So, even though it is nearly a month since he sent it, here it is.